Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-02-26
PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR.

have been puzzled to account for 1t. Had
you tried to 60 In search of the mysterious
ing its source ~ 1t can he heard for long
distance In case OF success you would have
found . partridge strutting about, as wi b
rutf and tail spread he shows of his hnery to
his admiring friends, meanwhile producing
the heavy drumming by ing the wings
together above the back. We shoulcf hardly
consider this music
In some Of the bird, certain feathers are e.
pecially modified 10 that by their vibration
their bearers arc enabled to make these curl.
Gus sounds, which in our ears are often far
from pleasant, but which seem to aid the
bird In his woOing.
We lind that taste for the beautiful Is not
wanting among the birds, and to gratily this
the Bower birds OF Australia rear those struc.
tures for which they have beoome noted, and
which NAV perhaps be best called their ball
rooms TIE bower IL open at the ends and Is
built OF grasses and reeds interviewer. 1t In
sometimes raised on little platform of sticks
and ~ at most only three or four feet long.
TIE several species differ 10 the mode OF orna.
nlentatiOn, but all show remarks able taste.
Bright stones and feathers, besched bones,
blue and red berries, and like things, are
made use Of In the sdornment the females
not scorninR To aid in the work. Some of
their structures are really beautiful in our
eyes Here both sexes meet aud perform
their curious dances, and here, too, one may
see those exhibitions OF coquetry which are
Even the fop OF society has his parallel
among the blrdA Many are the birds which
seem TO rely on the ex Exhibition of their gor.
geous clothing to win the favor OF those OF the
other sex. IL u said Tor instance, that the
mail birds OF paradise assemble In some con-
venient tree to hold dancing party, ss 1t Ia
called by the natives and here they fly
about raising their wings, and elevating
their exquisite piumes, aud making them
vibrate till the whole tree SCENE filled with
the waving plumes.
The peacock 10 a familiar example. He
seems the very incarnation OF vanity, yet
even he is surpassed, in the pains taken to
In this bird the secondary wing feathers are
enormously developed, and each 10 markell
with long row OF Ocelli, or eye spots, beau
ttully shaded, while the feathers are also
adorned with Oblique sir pes and rows OF
spots OF dark color These ornaments are
concealed, except when he wishes TO show
OIL bis beauty before the admiring females
Then the tail feathers are erected and the
wings expanded into a great circular fan or
shield, which stands above and in front OF
the body. The head and neck are turned to
one side, or II he wishes to see what etfec.
such an amazing display is making on his
fair friends, ne thrusts his head between
two OF the wing feathers, thus presenting .
most ludtcrous appearance.
And so might tell you of the various ways
IN which our common birds show oil their
hnery during their courtship--hOw one
s~ells out his little throat to show the brill.
isnt patches how another turns quickly
from side To side, thus bringing into view his
brightly tinted wings. But time would fail
me to tell OF all Itsn0ugh has besn said to-
lead any to watch more closely our festhered
vtsitors, ssthey again brighten the fields In
the spring time. my purpose will be sooom.
piished.